John Eustace believes the international break has come out at the right time for Blackburn Rovers to hit the reset button.

It has been a positive start to the season for Rovers but they have ended this run of games with a negative after back-to-back away defeats. It’s the first time they have lost successive games since December 2023.

After a busy three-game week, filled with travelling, Eustace will allow his players some time for rest and recovery. They will spend time analysing the last two performances but, equally, won’t lose sight of the positive work that came beforehand.

It will also offer the opportunity for players to continue building their fitness. There will be a behind-closed-doors game for those short of match minutes in a bid to build them up for the next block of fixtures.

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“I think this is a good chance to reset. We’re nursing a few injuries and I think this is a good couple of weeks to get people match fit,” Eustace said.

“We have a couple of days off now to reflect on this week. It started very well with the home victory and now two disappointing away defeats.

“Today, I don’t think we deserved to lose the game, especially with how we played in that last half an hour. It’s something we’ll work on, we have to get to doing the basics well as a team. We gave them too many opportunities in the first half.

“We have time to work with the new players that came in. We will work on patterns of play and defensive responsibilities that they need to get used to. 

“We have a bounce game in the middle of the international break too to get the match fitness up to what some of the lads need. We’ll use the two weeks well to prepare.

“We have a lot of hard work to do on the training pitches in these two weeks. We’ll come back stronger.”

Eustace believes Rovers are well-placed to kick on again after the break. As a whole, he has been pleased with the start his players have made and reflects positively on the first nine games.

“It’s been a very pleasing start overall. A lot of hard work has been put into that,” he added.

"We've had two really difficult away games in a short period of time. It's important to reflect and review those to improve. Over the first nine games, I think we can be very proud of our efforts.

"It's important to not get carried away. These results might give us a bit of a kick up the backside to realise we have to do the basics very well. When you don't, you're punished. 

“We are learning about the group, the new players and developing. It’s been a very positive start, it’s important nobody gets too disappointed with these two results in the space of three or four days.

“We move on and work hard over the international break.”

For some players, the international break will mean flying away with their countries. Yuki Ohashi, Owen Beck, Andi Weimann and Balazs Toth are among those that will be on their travels.

Arnor Sigurdsson held discussions with Iceland’s chiefs and due to a lack of game time, it was decided he would miss their upcoming camp to continue his recovery.

Eustace believes Rovers have given their players a platform to grow and develop which he hopes continues.

“It’s important all the players come to the football club to learn and develop. We want to create that environment here at the club and I think we have done that,” he said.

“We are very proud of Yuki getting called up. It’s a group effort, the squad and the staff have helped him settle well into the club and he’s done very well.”